IVORY TRADE

Early day motion 1401, tabled 23 April 2008 by Ian Cawsey (Labour). Signed by 164 members.

That this House is dismayed that 20,000 elephants a year are still being slaughtered to supply the illegal ivory trade; notes with concern that China remains the major destination for illicit ivory; further notes that Chinese citizens have been convicted of illegally trading ivory in 22 of the 37 African elephant range states; is aware that China may request to buy ivory stockpiles at the forthcoming Standing Committee meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in July; recognises the commendable progress China has made in recent years to improve illegal wildlife trade enforcement; is concerned, however, that ivory market controls in China remain insufficient to prevent continued illegal trade in ivory; is further concerned that any sale of stockpiled ivory to China may provide a smokescreen for further illegal ivory to be laundered into the system creating an incentive for more elephant poaching; welcomes the Government's role as a European Union representative on the CITES Standing Committee; and calls upon the Government to use that position to bring together EU partners in opposition to any attempt by China to buy ivory stockpiles.

Signatures by party: Labour 91, Liberal Democrat 37, Conservative 23, DUP 4, Independent 3, Scottish National Party 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, UUP 1.